Whenever I travel I take my sketch book.

It’s not just about recording where I’ve been, the camera does that much better - sketching is about better understanding the architecture and ambience of a place - and how people live and thrive there.

Sitting down for an hour or so, to sketch a building or a landscape, helps me to immerse myself in the environment.

I hate shopping so, for me, sketching is a better option than lying on a beach or taking a side trip to a market.

Observation lets you sneak into the minds or imaginations of ancient architects, carpenters or a stone masons. When you draw something – stroke by stroke, you don’t just look, you see.

It’s also a great way to capture memories and emotions that photographs simply can’t.

When you sketch, you’re creating a personal, unique record of your experience. Looking back on your sketches can help you remember not just what you saw, but how you felt.

Sketching helps to capture the zeitgeist of a place in a way that photography can’t.  For instance, I have something like 6000 photographs on my iPhone and  a few hundred scribbles in my sketch book.

I can only revisit the photos by scrolling through the camera app, but I can recall and draw most of my sketches from memory.  The act of drawing sears shapes and shadows into the brain, seemingly forever.

I call it travelling with my pencil – it adds depth and breadth that simply passing-by can’t.

I encourage anyone who wants to see and savour the awesome beauty of the world to give it a go.

There are plenty of sketching schools or classes to find on line. I promise you’ll be better off for it.